Holidaze (3-3): My Christmas Wish
by OneLittleSpark18
Summary: It's Christmas in Paris, all is cheery and bright! But feelings have bubbled to the surface for Marinette and Adrien. Romance! Epic fight scenes! Cheese? All this and much, much more in the final installment of the Holidaze series (Part 3/3)! I do not own any of the Miraculous characters. I do extensive research so the story is as accurate as possible. Enjoy!
1. Comfort and Joy

**Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your Yuletide cheer isn't too marred by the MLB S2/ Netflix delay. That just gives you more time to read more awesome fanfics (hint hint wink wink)!**

 **It is my pleasure to present to you the first chapter in the last installment of the Holidaze series. I hope you enjoy! (Please note, it would be helpful if you have previously read 'Imitation is The Highest Form of Flattery' and/or 'In the Dark of the Night', both available and completed.)**

Chapter 1: Comfort and Joy

"You said _what?_ "

"When we hung up last night, Adrien and I said, ' _I love you'."_ Marinette got up from her workspace at her desk to hand Alya her phone she had dropped. "It didn't mean anything. It was late, we were both tired, and ended the call as we do out of habit." Try as she might, Marinette couldn't keep the heat from her face. Outside, the snow softly swirled and blanketed the streets of Paris with an early Christmas gift.

"Okay, recap." Alya began listing, using her fingers. "You and Adrien basically confess your true feelings to each other _months ago_ and _nothing happens_. You two have been hanging out a lot outside of the group, but you're _not dating_. You have a nightmare involving Adrien and call him at _3 am_. He answers _right away_. He _comforts_ you. He tells you _you're important to him_ and that _he loves you._ Then you say that you love _him_?" She threw her hands in the air. "Girl, I almost don't have enough fingers. You like him, he likes you. Why is nothing happening?"

Marinette hesitated. She hadn't told Alya the full truth about what happened Halloween night or what really happened during the nightmare. She was quite perceptive; Alya knew Marinette was hiding something. Her head cocked expectantly.

"Marinette! Alya! Hurry up or you'll be late for school!"

Both girls jumped at Sabine's voice then looked at the clock. Yikes! They grabbed their book-bags and ran down the stairs. Tom was waiting with two steaming to-go cups of hot chocolate as the girls rushed to throw on their warm things.

"Thanks. Papa." Marinette rose onto her tiptoes to kiss her father's cheek. She waved as she and Alya walked out the front door. "See you guys tonight!"

Alya sipped her coco and made an appreciative sound before resuming her interrogation. "Mari, you told me Adrien is basically in love with you. What's going on? Have you lost your interest in him?"

Marinette sighed. "No, Alya. It's just complicated. I've enjoyed being his friend and getting to know him that way. I had put him up on such a pedestal, there was no way I could have known the true Adrien. I needed time to see him for who he really is." _And who he really is is someone I can never tell you about._

After the Reveal of each other's secret identities, it didn't take much time for Marinette and Adrien to get used to each other again. Adrien might crack a bad pun during lunch amid the groans of his friends; but Marinette would always smile, no matter how bad it was. Lately during akuma attacks, Ladybug had become clumsier, but Chat Noir would always catch her and set her right with an encouraging grin. With the bombshell of last night's conversation, things were about to change again.

A cold blast of wind ruffled Marinette's hair as she shivered, making her grip her cup tighter. Looking up, she saw Adrien emerge from his driver's car. He waved to the girls as Nino came up to high five him. He had a smile she knew was for her and her alone. Marinette's heart swelled with joy as it did of late whenever she saw him. Marinette had tried to dismiss the feeling, insisting that she wasn't ready yet. Her joy did not dissipate. Marinette had her answer.

"Alright Alya. You win. I think I'm ready now." The poor girl was almost tackled into the snow as her friend threw her arms around her. They laughed as snow continued to dust their heads. "The only question is, how do I tell him I'm ready?"

Alya grinned widely. "I know just the thing."

"An open mic coffee house?" Nino squinted skeptically. "That's a bit low-key for a Friday night, isn't it Al?" School had just let out for the day, the snow becoming heavier by the minute.

Alya slapped his arm with the coffee house flyer. "It's called _becoming cultured_ , Nino. It'll be fun! It's open to poetry and acoustic musical performances." She read off the paper. "Juleka told me that she was doing something special. It would be nice to go and support her. Plus, you never know who'll show up." She pointedly stared at Marinette. Adrien placed a hand on her shoulder.

"This sounds great! I've been wanting a laid-back night lately. You're coming too, right Mari?" He grinned.

She shakily returned the gesture. "Uh… yeah. Wouldn't miss it." Marinette felt herself suddenly steered away from the boys towards her house. Alya propelled her down the street.

"We'll see you boys tomorrow!" Alya could already feel the protests rising within her friend.

"Bye ladies." Nino and Adrien waved goodbye and moved to Adrien's waiting car.

Marinette knew it would be no good to argue with Alya until they were safe in her room. Even then, Alya rooted around Marinette's desk looking for something. The designer threw her bag onto her lounge chair.

"Alya! What are you looking for? And how on earth is going to an open mic night going to help me tell Adrien that I'm ready for a relationship?"

"You're going to tell him," Alya triumphantly held up what she was looking for. "With this."

Marinette took the paper from her, quickly scanning it. Her eyes widened and her head began to shake. "Oh no. Nonononono. Alya, no!"

"Come on, girl! This is the perfect way!" Marinette continued to shake her head as she sunk onto her chaise.

"I wrote this before our… before I really became friends with Adrien, when it was still just a stupid crush."

Alya knelt before her, clasping her hands. "Marinette, if you don't want to tell him directly, this is the best way. Just tweak the song so it matches how you feel now. It'll sound great with your ukulele." Marinette became unusually silent. Alya tried to look her in the eyes. "What is it?"

Tears threatened to spill over. "What if this messes everything up?"

Alya smirked. "Like a certain super-duo chemistry?" Marinette's eyes turned cold, her mouth forming a straight, firm line.

"What are you ta…" Alya waved her hand dismissively.

"Girl, I figured it out a while ago. I didn't report it because you are my best friend, Adrien is Nino's and Adrien is… well… important to you." Alya pulled Marinette down onto the floor with her. "I figured you would tell me, if you could, when you were ready." She was not prepared for the massive bear hug that came from this tiny girl. Marinette sobbed into her shoulder.

"You have _no idea_ how much I wanted you to know. I just couldn't…" Alya just held her friend as she cried.

"I know." She whispered. A few tears escaped her eyes as well.

After several minutes of comfortable silence, the young women pulled apart wiping their eyes.

"Whoo! I sure do feel better. How about you, girl?" Marinette managed a laugh.

"Yeah, I guess so." She looked to the piece of paper left on the chaise. "I guess I have some work to do, huh?" Alya gave her shoulder a final squeeze.

"I'll head out then. Let me know if you need anything?" Marinette nodded. They waved as Alya descended the stairs to bid goodnight to Marinette's parents. Once the coast was clear, Tikki flew out from her hiding spot.

"Marinette?" Her squeaky voice hesitated. "Are you alright?"

The girl took a deep breath, slowly releasing it. "I'm fine, Tikki." She glanced up at her kwami. "I'm glad that Alya finally knows, but…"

Tikki nodded. "Yes. First Adrien, now Alya? We need to be more careful in the future so no one else finds out." Marinette nodded. The kwami nuzzled her charge. They both smiled. "Come on! You've got a song to finish."

 **WOW! I've been looking to write an "Alya Knows" segment for quite sometime now... and this is the best I could do :) Maybe someday I'll get the inspiration to write how she actually** ** _came to know_** **about our heroes' identities, but I guess we'll leave it up to the imagination for now.**

 **Chapter 2 should be upcoming. The rest of the story is still in progress, I just wanted to get something you y'all now. If you want to be notified when Chapter 2 is available, subscribe to the story. You won't be sorry.**

 **Until the next chapter, Miraculers!**


	2. Holly Jolly Christmas

**Welcome back everyone! Did you enjoy the last chapter? Looking for a new one? Well MERRY CHRISTMAS, here's Chapter 2! BTW: If you haven't heard the Miraculous Bonus Christmas song,** ** _My Christmas Wish_** **, you may want to come back and read this chapter later after you hear it. This entire fic was based on the song. It is a great POV of Marinette's feelings for Adrien.**

Chapter 2: Holly Jolly Christmas

Friday night arrived and a heavy snow storm arrived with it. All the Christmas lights strung along the store fronts reflected and shone in the fallen snow. The merry little band of friends entered the coffee shop, shivering and trying to shake the snow from their coats.

"Oh wow!" Adrien exclaimed. None of them had visited this particular coffee shop before, so they were all equally in awe.

The coffee shop, Hollybrook, was the definition of "warm and cozy". The low lighting reflected off the dark wood lining the walls and floor. There were a few high-top tables and chairs, but the furniture mostly consisted of soft sofas and arm chairs. Christmas garland and lights were _everywhere_ ; they gave the shop an inviting holiday atmosphere. There was one detail in particular that Marinette was focused on: the single spotlight aimed at the elevated stage.

"Hey guys!" Alix waved them over to a group of seats she, Mylène, and Rose saved while Juleka prepped for her performance. Marinette grinned. It had been a while since the whole "Flower Squad" had been together. Rose and Mylène exchanged hugs with Alya and Marinette while Nino executed an intricate handshake with Alix. Adrien smiled and waved at the girls.

"We're so glad you came!" Rose exclaimed as the others moved to sit. Marinette noticed that, thanks to Alya's skillful manipulating, the only open seat just happened to be next to… Adrien. She shot her friend a look. Alya just grinned, shrugging off her coat.

Adrien was ecstatic that Marinette chose to sit next to him. They had been hanging out almost constantly the past few months, turning into closer friends. However, he felt her become more distant these last two days. He hoped he hadn't done anything to offend her. He moved to help her remove her coat. As she handed him her hat and jacket, Adrien melted.

Marinette wore a soft, cream colored sweater that enhanced the blues in her eyes and hair. Her hair! Marinette's hair was free from its usual pigtails, gently falling onto her shoulders. Adrien loved her pigtails – and everything else about her – but he especially loved it when she wore her hair down. Marinette adjusted the waistband of her dark wash skinny jeans, which disappeared into a sturdy pair of brown _Agreste_ brand boots. She looked _gorgeous_. Adrien knew his heart was in too deep to turn back now. He would have taken Marinette on a proper date already if she didn't insist on being "just friends" for now and keeping their superhero lives "strictly professional". He wanted nothing more than to make her his girlfriend.

Everyone's attention turned to the stage as a Hollybrook barista introduced Juleka.

"Anyone know what she's doing?" Nino whispered to the group as they politely clapped.

"No idea." Alix shrugged. No one noticed Adrien casually attempt to drape his arm across the back of Marinette's seat. She gave him a warning side glance, but said nothing.

"Wow! Juleka looks great!" Mylène beamed. Juleka's usual curtain of hair was piled high atop her head in a messy bun. Her usual black shirt and ripped jeans were replaced by a long-sleeved sky-blue blouse with a black Peter-Pan collar and a pair of black skinny jeans. Marinette was impressed of Juleka's style shake-up. She appeared to ooze confidence.

As she sat on the provided stool on the stage the audience waited for her to begin. Juleka just sat there smiling. An awkward cough sounded from the back. After several minutes, she rose from her seat and bowed. Only Rose stood to applaud.

"Inspired! What a masterpiece!" She exclaimed. Everyone else clapped in confusion, unsure of what they just saw. Juleka returned to her friends and sat on the arm of the sofa next to Rose.

"Hey Juleka! That was…" Adrien searched for the proper encouraging word. "…something!" The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

"Something's my favorite" Nino mumbled. Marinette took this opportunity of distraction to slip away with her backpack.

"But seriously dude, what _was_ that?" Alya elbowed Nino in the side.

"Nino!"

Juleka only smiled. "It's okay, Alya. I knew everyone wasn't going to understand." She turned to address the boys. "I wanted to show everyone that silence can be just as beautiful as sound. An American composer did something similar back in the 1950s." The ladies laughed at the baffled looks on their faces. Adrien shook his head and turned to see how Marinette enjoyed the performance. She wasn't there.

"Anybody see where Mari went?"

Alya shrugged, but Adrien could see a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Alright Hollybrook! Give it up one more time for Miss Juleka Couffaine!" The group turned back to the stage as one of the baristas prepared to announce the next act. "Up next is another newcomer with an original Christmas song! Festive! Please give a warm Hollybrook welcome to Miss _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_!" The room applauded. Adrien could only gape as Marinette took the stage, ukulele in hand. He hadn't seen her play in public since she won their tenth-year talent show.

Marinette blinked nervously in the spotlight. "H-hey everyone." She winced as the mic gave feedback. She adjusted it and sat on the provided stool. "My song tonight is called _My Christmas Wish_." She purposefully locked eyes with Adrien. "I hope you like it." Marinette began to strum the tiny instrument.

 _"_ _If Christmas time is filled with magic, love, and cheer,_

 _And all the pretty colors of the lights…_

 _Then why am I so blue… and only missing you…_

 _Underneath the mistletoe tonight?"_

Adrien felt his jaw go slack. _What is she doing?_ She wouldn't meet his eyes now.

 _"_ _The only gift I wish to see beside my tree_

 _Has beautiful blond hair and deep green eyes…_

 _I know we're meant to be, if he would notice me_

 _Waiting for my present to arrive."_

Both of their faces now flamed scarlet as she moved in the chorus.

 _"_ _So Santa here's my wish to share a Christmas kiss_

 _With the one that I've been dreaming of._

 _But keeping him from me is a cat-astrophe;_

 _He's the boy I secretly love!"_

A smile played on her lips as she sang, hearing her kitty laugh at the cat pun she included just for him. He was the only one laughing, but she didn't care. Marinette fell in love with that laugh after first hearing it that day with the umbrella. As she finished the song, she made sure he was looking at her.

 _"_ _He's the boy I secretly loovveee."_

The audience went wild. Several college guys in the back whooped and whistled. Seeing the frown Adrien was giving them, Marinette bowed then quickly left the stage.

"Wow! What a song! No doubt that was written for a _special someone_ , right guys?" The barista reclaimed the microphone. "Well, we're going to take a short break. Don't forget to try some of our new seasonal beverages. Our entertainment will resume in ten minutes!"

Marinette rejoined her friends, electing to ignore their smug grins. All she was trying to do was get a read on Adrien. He stood up to meet her.

"Ladies and gentleman, I must bid thee goodnight." He addressed the group then bowed to Marinette in a teasing – almost Chat Noir style – way. "I believe I have a Christmas wish to fulfill." Marinette's face flushed again as her friends cheered; Alya gathered up her things, practically shoving them out the door.

"Told you it would work." She whispered. Marinette squeezed her hand in gratitude.

 **HOW FANTASTIC WAS THAT CAT PUN? I laugh every time it comes up in the song.**

 **The next chapter is currently in the production phase, so it will be a few more days before it is ready to go to my editor (aka my FABULOUS roommate :] ). I do not yet know if it will be the last chapter or not, that will depend on how much story is left to be told. Until then, Miraculers!**


	3. Silent Night

**Hey everybody! SO SORRY for how long it's taken me to upload the next chapter! Being a graduating college senior takes up a lot of time as well as not being that inspired.**

 **I was able to wrap up the last bit of this chapter that I was missing and have an idea for at least one more chapter. I don't know when it will be uploaded, but I don't think you'll have seen anything like it in other fanfics!**

 **However, this chapter is ready to go! I hope you enjoy it.**

Adrien helped Marinette into her hat and coat, took her by the hand and smiled. He was finally taking his lady on a proper date! The only question was…

"Where are we going, Adrien?" Marinette giggled as he joyously swung their clasped hands. The snow sank into the exposed areas of her hair, falling slower than it had been.

He gave his trademark Chat Noir grin. "Don't worry, Bugaboo. I've been planning this for months. You're going to lo…" Adrien trailed off. He tightened his grip on Marinette's hand and quickened their pace.

"Adrien, what's wrong?" She whispered.

"Can't you sense it? We're being followed." He kept his voice low.

Marinette inconspicuously checked their surroundings. While Hollybrook was located in a hidden part of the city, it wasn't a shady neighborhood. Not too far behind them, the girl spotted a group of male figures.

"Just keep walking, Adrien." Marinette muttered.

"Hey pretty girl!" One of the voices called out. "You're as pretty as your singing voice." Adrien hesitated only a moment before continuing on.

 _These must be those overzealous college guys from the coffee house._ He thought. Marinette actually moved in front of Adrien to pull him along, attempting to move him away from a potential conflict.

"Why don't you sing us another song?" He made a lewd suggestion of something else they could do. That pushed Adrien over the edge. He whirled around, eyes flashing, ready to defend his princess's honor when his vision suddenly turned black.

Marinette felt Adrien pull away from her at the last comment. It surprised them both when the guy popped Adrien in the head. He staggered into a nearby alley, clearly disoriented.

"Adrien!" She cried, running to his side. He waved her off, still dazed. He stood ready to fight. The thug's friends blocked the alley's exit.

"Get 'em, Ethan!" One of them encouraged.

"Come on, baby." He attempted a charming smile. "Wouldn't you rather hang with a college-educated gentleman such as myself? I would love to hear another song." Marinette stood firm, standing in front of Adrien to block his attack.

"No thank you." She answered coolly. "I enjoy my current company. However, it looks like your manners need further education." Ethan lost his smile.

"Listen, I came out tonight for a goodtime before I go home for Christmas and I am _not_ taking no for an answer!" He grabbed Marinette's arm roughly. Adrien dropped his fighting stance in shock and began laughing.

"Oh man! You should not have done that, my friend!"

"Shut up, blondie." Ethan turned back to his prey. He immediately recoiled in fear, seeing the utter loathing in her eyes.

Marinette quickly raised her arm and broke his grip. He stumbled back, throwing a disoriented punch at her head. She easily dodged it as well as the next swing. Gritting his teeth, Ethan punched with his other arm. Marinette pushed it to the side, rapidly thrusting it downward. Using this as an anchor point, she launched from the ground and wrapped her legs around his neck. This brought them crashing to the pavement. Marinette yanked up on his arm as he screeched.

"Okay, okay you win!" Ethan screamed. The young woman released him as he lay on the ground whimpering.

"Merry Christmas, creep." She whispered as she stood. One look from her sent Ethan's friends running. He followed them as soon as he could stand. Marinette turned to see Adrien clapping. He grinned and pretended to swoon.

"Thank you for saving me, Ladybug!" Marinette giggled as she slipped her arm around his.

"I couldn't let them beat up my favorite kitty." She booped his nose gently; Adrien stuck his tongue out at her.

"Shall we attempt to salvage what's left of our date?"

"Salvage? I thought we were off to a pretty good start!" The duo laughed as the exited the alley. The snow had long since slowed, instead falling in big, fat flakes. Adrien steered them towards the Eiffel Tower, whose lights twinkled against the inky blackness of the night.

"You know, I think you took that guy down faster than Prime Queen." Adrien commented. "You used the same maneuver, right?"

Marinette was touched. "You remembered that fight?"

He leaned in close. "My Lady, I remember everything." He brought her knuckles to his lips. "I especially remember that one because that was almost our first kiss… Well, the first kiss I would have remembered." Adrien smirked as she smacked his arm. He could tell she was blushing.

"You know I had to get you out from Dark Cupid's control…" Marinette mumbled.

Adrien bobbed his head. "Uh huh, sure. Whatever you want to tell yourself." He earned another smack for that.

The teens continued to reminisce their adventures. Before they knew it, they had walked to the Eiffel Tower ticket booth. Adrien slipped his Platinum card to the ticket master while Marinette fumbled with her wallet. He quickly kissed her to silence her protests.

"Princess, this is a date. I'm paying." He grinned as she muttered her thanks, the blush returning to her cheeks. Unbeknownst to Marinette, Adrien had purchased a private top floor experience. Somehow, they managed to snag an elevator car all to themselves; the two rode to the top in comfortable silence, hand-in-hand. As the doors opened, Marinette breathed deeply. No matter how many times Ladybug and Chat Noir stood in this exact same spot, the view of her beloved city took Marinette's breath away.

Marinette broke away from Adrien, leaning against the protective barricade. She turned to him, eyes shining.

"Do you know what this reminds me of?"

Adrien cocked his head inquisitively. She smiled.

"It reminds me of that surprise you set up for Ladybug before Glaciator attacked." She gestured to the empty space around them. "I know it doesn't have all of the candles or roses, but I feel the same sentiment."

Marinette turned back to the view of her city, feeling Adrien's arms wrap around her from behind.

"That was the first time I realized how special you were, Marinette. That was when I started having feelings for you _and_ Ladybug." Adrien rested his chin on the top of her head.

The duo remained that way, admiring the city lights until Marinette burst out laughing. Startled, Adrien looked down. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Marinette tried to stifle her laughter.

"Sorry kitty. When you mentioned the fight with Dark cupid earlier, I started to remember how many times we've had to fight each other. I don't know why I thought it was so funny."

Adrien scoffed. "Yeah. I don't know why you'd think it was so funny that you almost lost every time." Marinette socked him in the arm. "OW! Hey! I was just kidding, Princess! Man, you've got an arm." He rolled his shoulder to regain its feeling.

"You know the only reason I never won any of those battles is because I was always under an akuma's control. If we ever had a real sparing match, you would _definitely_ lose."

Marinette cocked an eyebrow playfully. "Wanna bet?"

 **THAT TAKE DOWN SCENE WAS SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE! I probably watched the Prime Queen fight scene frame by frame six or seven times to try and describe the maneuvers correctly.**

 **Thank you for your continued readership and good notes.**

 **Like the rest of you, I am eagerly awaiting the upload of S2 to Netflix, but just be patient. Don't forget that they are making this show for us, the fans. If we continually nag the ZAG team and other fan accounts for release dates or other trivial information, we are hindering their creative process. It will all come in due time. Until then, let's make our own stories with what we've been given and make our own adventures.**

 **See ya next time!**


	4. Carol of the Bells

**I FINALLY became inspired and now have the plan for the next 2-3 chapters! I'm doing something special, so you guys just keep reading. This is going to be amazing!**

 **This is a longer chapter because of how long y'all have been kept waiting. You're welcome! :)**

 ** _Carol of the Bells_**

Adrien laughed but soon ceased as he saw the look on Marinette's face change. "Seriously? You want to have an actual fight to see who's the best?"

She shrugged. "Why not? It could be fun." The girl's eyes lit up with an idea. "Hey, what if we make it fun for _everyone_? It may end up being kind of pointless if it's just us going at it. Why not share it with Paris?" Marinette began flexing her arms to show off her muscles. Adrien playfully rolled his eyes, but he was starting to get into it.

"Yeah! But what if we go a step farther with this?" Marinette cocked her head inquisitively. "What if we have a fight for charity? I've heard of wrestlers and MMA fighters doing exhibition matches for charity all the time. I know for a fact there are some charities around here that could use a financial boost." Adrien ran his fingers through his shaggy hair. "The only question is, how are we going to spread the word or even plan everything?"

Marinette grinned, pecking him on the cheek. "Don't worry, kitty. Just leave it up to me."

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news! Hi, Nadja Chamack here." The reporter waved to the camera. "Welcome back to _Side-by-Side_ where I am once again joined by LadyBlog founder _Alya Césaire_!"

Alya shot finger guns at the camera while the camera operator chuckled. "Hey fans! Thanks for having me back, Nadja; and boy, have I got a scoop for you! I've recently been contacted by Ladybug and Chat Noir and they have an early Christmas gift for the citizens of Paris!"

Nadja leaned forward excitedly. "Folks, I am hearing for the first time just like you. Don't keep us in suspense, Alya! What will they be doing?" Alya grinned, adjusting her glasses.

"Haven't you ever wondered which one of them would win in a fight?" The entire studio crew nodded their heads in agreement. "Well, we'll have our answer soon! Our heroes will be holding a charity sparring match starring them!" Nadja gasped.

"Really?"

"For real! Just head on over to the LadyBlog to see the post – _written by Ladybug herself!_ – containing all of the rules. There are instructions if you want to donate. The goal of this match-up is to raise some much-needed funds for our local charities. And while you're over at the LadyBlog, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss a bit of Ladybug news – especially in the coming weeks!"

Nadja rolled her eyes at Alya's shameless self-promotion before beckoning the camera back her way. "You heard it right here, folks!" She touched a finger to hear earpiece. "And I just received confirmation from our studio execs that Kids+ TV would be honored to host and sponsor the event. Think LB and Chat Noir will be alright with that, Alya?"

"That's actually one of the things they wanted me to ask you later, so it's perfect!"

"Alright viewers. We'll return after this break to discuss…"

Marinette clicked the news channel on her computer off. "Well that was easier than I thought." She tilted her head to see the grin of her boyfriend as he nuzzled further into her neck. They both sat in Marinette's desk chair, Adrien situated just behind her with is arms around her waist. "Now we have a sponsor and a place to actually fight!"

Adrien navigated his head out of the crook of Marinette's neck, moving the mouse to click the LadyBlog tab that was hiding in the background. "Explain the rules to me again? I know I agreed to them, but you and Alya kinda sped through them." He enlarged the post that detailed the rules. Marinette pointed at the various sentences and images as she explained.

"So, we have two links that take people to a separate page for each of us. It lists basic bios of us, not so much as to reveal our identities but enough to give people a sense of who they're betting on. At the top of the page, it lists the charity we have chosen to benefit from the winnings. As you can see, mine is Vision du Monde which takes care of and protects children in countries that have sustained significant damage." Marinette wiggled the mouse, returning to the original blog post so she could click on Chat's link. "You chose Enfance & Partage. I'm assuming you chose them because of their stance on child abuse?" She noticed Adrien's eyes darken slightly.

"Yeah. No kid should have to fear their parents or other authority figures."

Wanting to move Adrien away from indulging his dark thoughts, she brought the monitor back to the LadyBlog to refresh the rest of the rules. "So, people can donate to either link, depending on who they want to bet on. Regardless of who wins, the money will go to its respective charity." Marinette's phone chirped, indicating a text. "Oh. More good news. Alya just confirmed with the Kids+ TV executives that they will match the donation amount of the 'winning charity' up to 500,000 euros!" Adrien's eyes widened in shock.

"Wow! That's really generous!" He smiled down at his princess who was almost in his lap. He was so proud of her and the idea she had developed. They were going to be helping a lot of people.

Adrien turned his attention back to the screen. "Anything else I missed?"

Marinette scrolled down the post. "Um… We can fight anyway we want, but without Cataclysm or Lucky Charm and as long as we try not to go too overboard; Alya wants us to do a couple of promo videos to air on the blog and the TV station before the donations open up in a couple days… and I think that's it." Adrien pointed at a graphic on the side of the page.

"What's that?" Marinette clicked on it to enlarge the image.

"It's a poll that will keep track of donations, so people can see who thinks whom will win." Going back to the main page of the LadyBlog and scrolling through the recent posts, Marinette laughed at what Alya had posted after her announcement on _Side-by-Side_.

 _Before donations start coming in, WHO DO THINK WILL WIN THE CONTEST OF HEROES? Vote below!_

Over 3,000 people had already voted and the results were neck in neck. Marinette twisted her body around, so her arms were draped around Adrien's neck

"Well kitty, looks like we've got some work to do. May the best hero win!" She smirked.

Adrien wiped it off her face with a kiss. As they pulled away, it was his turn to grin. "May the best hero win, Mi'Lady."

The "Contest of Heroes", as it became known as, would take place on December 22, a few days before Christmas. The teens began working out together to increase their strength and flexibility. Afterwards, though, they would go train in their own specific ways.

Adrien focused on his fencing skill. He asked for extra time with Mr. D'Argencourt, taking particular notice of the more advanced moves he performed. Adrien even looked up YouTube videos of people who had taken the art to an almost Parkour level. The traditional rules of fencing were somewhat restrictive, and he needed to be creative. Marinette had seen him fight in several tournaments and knew his best moves. Adrien needed to have combinations in his repertoire in order to stand a chance.

Marinette on the other hand, had taken up kick boxing with Alya. She started before the contest had even been a thought, thinking it would be a fun bonding experience. Now, she put everything she had into her sessions. Being smaller, Marinette knew she was going to need to strengthen her core and build stamina in order to stand a chance. While she still practiced with her yo-yo, she didn't want to have to rely on it all the time in battle.

During class, the battle was all anyone could talk about when Ms. Bustier wasn't looking. Almost everyone had donated something towards the charity of the hero they were backing.

"Chat Noir is _so_ gonna beat Ladybug. He may have toats obvs feelings for her, but I know he's going to put up one heck of a fight!" Nino pumped a fist in the air.

"NO way man!" Alix shook her head. "LADYBUG is going to come out on top. She may be small, but she's scrappy. Plus, she's got that yo-yo thing that can tie that cat up."

"I'm going to have to agree with Alix." Alya interjected. "I've spent time with both of them and I think Chat Noir may let his feelings for LB get in the way." Adrien turned to discreetly cock an eyebrow, almost asking "Really?" Alya simply winked.

"If you guys won't pay attention, I guess we'll have to turn this topic into a project." Ms. Bustier's interruption caused the crowd to hush. "There is still a week left until the challenge and the end of school. I want you all to research our two competitors and present who you think will win on December 21st, the last school day before the fight. I'll even make it interesting and provide those who correctly predict the winner with treats from the Dupain-Cheng bakery when we return from break." The class broke out into cheers. "You can use the rest of class time to begin your research. Best of luck!"

As everyone began bringing out their tablets and earbuds, Adrien twisted to face Marinette. He rolled his eyes and smiled, indicating how much more this put on their plates between now and the fight. Marinette shrugged and shot him a challenging grin, almost daring him to beat her at both competitions.

"You're on." Adrien mouthed. He turned back to face the front. What exactly had they gotten themselves into?

 **Alright! Who do YOU think will win this fight? I won't even know until I finish writing the battle scene :)**

 **I've got the next chapter written; I'll try to remember to post it next week.**

 **See ya then!**


	5. Jingle Bell Rock

**Here we are! CHAPTER 5! And... IT'S OVER 2,000 WORDS LONG!**

 **I know it's April, but MERRY CHRISTMAS!**

 ** _Jingle Bell Rock_**

The week passed relatively quickly. Adrien and Marinette continued their training as well as researching for the class presentation. Alya's blog had the most videos in the best quality of akuma battles, so most of the students were using them as reference tools. Alya commented to Marinette during one of their last kickboxing sessions about the number of hits the LadyBlog had received since the contest had been announced.

"Seriously. I think the traffic has increased almost 200% since I posted that first post. It's insane!" Alya glanced over as Marinette toweled off the sweat that was pouring down her face. "What's even more insane is the amount of muscle you've put on since you started kickboxing."

Marinette shrugged as she took a sip of her water. "Most of it is actually from doing _my job_ from the past few years," Alya grinned, knowing she couldn't say _by being Ladybug_ in such a public setting. "But THIS is from the kickboxing!" Marinette proudly lifted her tank top to reveal developing, but clearly defined, four-pack abs. Alya squealed as she reached for her phone.

"GURL we have GOT to take a pic to send to Adrien! He is going to be trembling in his magic boots after seeing this!"

Marinette draped the towel around her neck. She lifted the shirt to expose her stomach with one hand and made a peace sign with the other. The girl smiled with her tongue sticking out playfully as Alya shot several photos. They scrolled through them until they found the right one to send to Adrien. As they began to clean up, Alya's phone dinged with a reply.

 _Adrien: Looks like I've got some competition. Better step it up_

The girls doubled over in laughter at the picture the boy had sent back. Adrien must have finished up his own workout because he was shirtless, sweaty, and running a hand through his damp hair in a sexy pose only a model could perfect.

Through her laughter and tears, Marinette managed to ask Alya to send her the photo. This contest was really beginning to get fun.

"Alright class! Today's the day! I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, but before we get to that, we have our presentations." Ms. Bustier paced back and forth in front of the classroom. "If you believe Ladybug will win the Contest of Heroes, please move with your bags to the right. If you believe Chat Noir will win, please move to the left. Once everyone is settled, I will have further instructions."

The class ended up almost dividing evenly. Joining Marinette on the Ladybug side was Alya, Nathaniel, Ivan, Mylène, Alix, Chloe, and Rose. On the Chat Noir side, Adrien was joined by Nino, Juleka, Sabrina, Max, and Kim. Someone had begun selling buttons not too long after the contest was announced with Ladybug and Chat Noir's faces, so people could wear something in support of their heroes. Everyone had buttons for their respective heroes except for Marinette and Adrien. They decided to take it to the next level.

Marinette traded in her usual black and pink for black and red. She wore a long sleeve grey sweater adorned with white flowers, tucked into a knee-length red pencil skirt. A pair of black leggings and red high tops flowed from the skirt. Marinette had taken the opportunity to pull her hair back into a single messy ponytail.

Adrien, as usual, looked like he had just stepped off of one of his father's photoshoots. He wore black pants and dress shoes that matched his long-sleeve button up shirt. Over top of the shirt, he wore a light green vest. A deep green tie completed the ensemble.

Once everyone congregated in their assigned area, Ms. Bustier continued. "Since it would take longer than we have to go through everyone's presentations, I want you compile the best of your evidence into one presentation and pick a representative to speak for your group. Both need to have unanimous decisions. You have 15 minutes."

Immediately everyone in the Ladybug group turned to Marinette. "You're going to be our rep, Marinette." Ivan declared. Everyone nodded in agreement. Even Chloe didn't disagree. Marinette could only sputter.

"But Alya would be better…"

"Girl, you are _literally_ channeling Ladybug right now. Once we get our information together, you'll be fine." Alya wrapped a comforting arm around her friend before cracking her knuckles. "Now, let's get to it!"

The 15 minutes flew by faster than anyone wanted. When Ms. Bustier called time, Marinette made her way to the front of the room. She then saw that Adrien had been chosen as his group representative as well. She giggled as he shrugged.

"The first presenter will be determined by a coin flip. Since Marinette is our lady, she will get to decide which side she will be first."

"I'll be heads so the Chat Noir group can be tails." Her eyes playfully narrowed in challenge as Adrien's widened in surprise. All of the guys in the room began to laugh and rumble at the pun. Adrien grinned at his princess.

"Very well. I'm good with that. Go ahead and toss it, Miss."

Ms. Bustier tossed the coin into the air. She then caught it and flipped it over onto the back of her hand. "It's tails." The Chat Noir group cheered. Marinette raised her hands in surrender.

"Fine. Guess we'll save the best for last. Right guys?" She asked the Ladybug group. They began cheering louder that the others.

"Adrien, you have the floor." The teacher proclaimed once she managed to quiet everyone down.

"Thank you." Adrien moved behind the desk and spread out his notes for easy access. "Everyone knows that Ladybug and Chat Noir work best as a team. But how will they fare against each other in combat? That is what we are here today to discuss. It is our proposition," he gestured to the group on the left. "that Chat Noir will be the winner. The evidence is clear." Adrien flipped to his next page.

"As seen in multiple photos on the popular LadyBlog site," Adrien winked a Alya while she rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Chat's suit differs from Ladybug's. Hers is thinner, which allows her to move faster. However, that can be a disadvantage because it cannot sustain much damage in a fight. Chat's suit is sturdier; while it cannot stop every blow dealt to it, the suit was created to take more damage in a fight." He then extended a hand in Marinette's direction.

"My opponent may say that this means Chat Noir is at a speed disadvantage but that is simply not the case. Being influenced by the Cat Kwami of Destruction – as stated in an interview with the LadyBlog last year – Chat Noir exhibits heightened cat-like abilities, such as hearing, night vision, and the speed and agility of a nimble feline." Adrien moved around the front of the desk to lean on it and cross his arms.

"This takes much of Chat Noir's physical appearance into account, but let's remember how our heroes tend to win fights against akumas. There are two main points." He counted them off. "One, Ladybug usually wins fights by using her Lucky Charm. It's something magical to use specifically in that fight to end it. Who knows how long a battle would take against an akuma if she didn't use her powers?" He ticked of another finger. "Two, it is normally Chat Noir – when he's not under akuma control – who sets up the akuma in the best possible way for Ladybug to use the Charm. Without Chat Noir and without her powers, Chat Noir stands a better chance at winning than Ladybug. Our group rests."

Adrien gathered up his papers and moved back to his seat. Nino gave him a fist bump while Kim clapped his back.

"Next we'll hear from Marinette and the Ladybug Group." Marinette took her place in front of the desk without any notes.

"My _lovely opponent_ ," Marinette drew out the words with a meaningful glance at Adrien. "Made some excellent points about Chat Noir and his capabilities. Now it's our turn." She crossed her arms over her chest with a confidant smile.

"Adrien mentioned that Ladybug's suit was thinner which allows her to move faster, but not be able to take as much damage as Chat's suit. While I'll admit that is true, her speed and agility could be greater than that of Chat Noir's 'cat-like abilities', in addition to her small frame which presents her with faster reaction times."

"Now, Ladybug and Chat Noir are both skilled in hand-to-hand combat, as can be noted in the broadcast of the battle against Prime Queen and the report of the battle against 'Copy Cat', Théo Barbot. In addition to hand-to-hand combat, Ladybug's yo-yo gives her a greater range than Chat's baton. It can also turn into a shield to protect her from debris or other attacks." Marinette grinned because she had one more reason and she wanted to look Adrien in the eyes as she revealed it.

"The biggest strength that Ladybug has is that she is not heavily impacted by her environment." Adrien's eyes became saucers, rapidly shaking his head. "It is well documented, but often overlooked that Paris's favorite cat is allergic to feathers. Sooner or later, someone may decide to use that against him." Marinette winked at her boyfriend and bowed to the class before taking her seat. Ms. Bustier moved back to the front of the room.

"Those were both very good arguments, students! And it is now the end of the day. I hope you all have a splendid winter break and I guess we'll have our winning group when we get back. _Joyeux Noel_!"

The bell rang, and the teens filed out of the room. As Marinette repacked her satchel, she noticed Chloe lingering nearby. "Can I help you?" Marinette didn't look up from her task.

"I'm sorry." That got her attention. Marinette turned to face the girl who had tormented her for so long.

"Excuse me?"

Chloe wouldn't meet her eyes now. "You heard me. I said I was sorry. I was a brat back at the Halloween party."

Marinette crossed her arms. "You were a brat yesterday too if I remember correctly."

"Pfft! Haven't you heard of an apology? Let me finish!" Chloe let out a huff of air. "I didn't realize it until recently, but I lost Adrien's feelings for me a long time ago. If I want a chance at staying friends with him, I need to start making amends." She extended a perfectly manicured hand. "Truce?"

Marinette hesitated before extended her own hand. "Truce." It startled her when Chloe strengthened her grip. Her eyes were fierce.

"Just remember: he's been my friend since before we could talk. If you hurt him at all, you'll have me to answer to."

"I understand. I would never hurt him, Chloe. He's one of my favorite people in the world."

Chloe seemed satisfied with that answer. "Fine. Can we stop holding hands now? My car is waiting for me." The girls dropped hands. Chloe picked up her bag and left without another word. A shocked Marinette followed soon after. She saw Adrien waiting outside the classroom door for her.

"Hey. So, what did Chloe want? Do I need to have another talk with her?" Marinette found it sweet when her kitty worried for her. She slipped her hand into his as they started towards her house. It had begun snowing again before school had let out.

"Nah. She was actually… being nice? If that's something she's capable of?" Adrien glanced at her quizzically. "Basically, she realized she needed to let you go. I think she's coming to terms with just being friends with you and nothing more. She did threaten me if I ever did anything to hurt you." That caused the boy to chuckle.

"Then go easy on me tomorrow as to not incur her wrath, Princess." He purred. She squeezed his hand, giggling.

"Not a chance, Kitty. Want to come over for some hot chocolate while you wait for your car? I'm sure Gorilla got caught in traffic with how heavy this snow is getting."

"It would be my pleasure."

 **Next chapter... It goes down...**

 **Get. Ready. To. RUUUMMMBBBBBLLLLLLLEEEEEEE**


	6. It's the Most Wonderful Time

**Happy Saturday all! As a college senior, there is not much to do on a Saturday - especially when you have writer's block for the last chapter of your favorite story :( So I decided to post what you have all been waiting for _a bit_ early :P**

 **I won't leave you in much more suspense... SO HERE IT IS!**

 _ **It's The Most Wonderful Time**_

"Thanks for breakfast, Sabine. You always make the croissants so soft and flaky. What's your secret?" Adrien asked as he wiped his face with the napkin from his lap.

"A great helper." Sabine grinned cheekily at her blushing daughter beside her.

" _Maman_!" Marinette hissed. Adrien loved that Marinette still blushed so easily. She looked cute with a dusting of pink on her cheeks.

"Adrien, did you want to see that design I finished before we go do our Christmas shopping?" Marinette's eyes, however, asked a different question: _Can we talk about tonight_?

"Absolutely. Sabine, do you need any help cleaning before we go up?"

Sabine shooed the teens out of the kitchen. "You two head on upstairs. Tom will be up in a minute to help. And Marinette," She called to her daughter before she left. "Please keep the hatch unlocked." The blush on Marinette's face did not escape the watchful mom eyes.

"Yes ma'am."

Once the two were alone in Marinette's room, the kwamis emerged from their hiding spots.

"Did you grab me any cheese, Adrien?" Plagg was as hungry as usual.

"Plagg, Tikki and I restocked your cheese supply here over in your cubby hole." Marinette pointed to a hidden corner near her sewing machine.

"Come on, Plagg. Let's leave these two to talk. I want to show you the scarf Marinette made me!" Tikki gently pulled his nubby little arm. He perked up at that.

"Do you think she'll make me one?" Their voices faded as they disappeared.

Once they were truly alone, Adrien quickly swooped in to plant a kiss on Marinette.

"Easy, boy!" Marinette almost tumbled down, bringing her boyfriend with her. The two sat down cross legged on Marinette's chaise lounge. "So… are you ready for tonight?" The girl actually felt nervous asking. They had trash talked about the competition over text message where it's easier to say that kind of stuff but had rarely brought it up since the night Alya announced it on _Side-by-Side_. It was just too nerve racking – at least for her.

"I think so. I've done all the training I can do. I'll just have to watch what I eat for the rest of the day so I'm not sluggish. Why? Are you?" He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"A little bit." Marinette bit her lip. "I know we won't be fighting for our lives like we normally are against akumas, so that puts my mind at ease; I just don't want to hurt you." Adrien chuckled.

"Believe me, you won't. I don't want to hurt you either. This is just going to be an exhibition match. We don't have to go _all out_ , just enough to tire the other out. We can do this. It's going to be fun." He cupped her cheek in his hands. "I love you."

Marinette grinned. "I love you too, Kitty."

He sudden looked afraid, like he remembered something. "You're not really gonna use feathers tonight, are you?"

As night descended on Paris, the anticipation clouding the air could have been cut with a knife.

"Welcome to the first ever _Contest of Heroes_! Live from le Parc des Princes, I'm your host Alec Cataldi!" Alec waved to the camera as it panned downwards. "Have we got an epic show for you tonight! Donations and bets on our two competitors have now closed and we have the final amounts raised by you at home for our charities."

Alec glanced down to the card in his hand. "For Vision du Monde, Team Ladybug raised… 4 million Euros! And for Enfance & Partage, Team Chat Noir raised… 5 million Euros! Wow! What fierce competition we already have here tonight! You guys at home took our expectations and blew them out of the water! And don't forget that the charity of the winning hero will receive an additional 500,000 Euros, curtesy of Kids+ TV! Now, let's get down to the nitty gritty, folks."

The camera panned to the cheering crowd gathered at the stadium before returning to Alec, standing at its center.

"We're going to review the rules for you viewers before we get started. Our competitors have full use of the stadium to battle in, so don't be surprised if they pop up near you! They cannot use their special powers, only their chosen tools and their natural fighting skills. The match will go for one hour or until we have a clear winner, whichever comes first." Alec rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"Now that we have that out of the way, let's meet our competitors!" The lights in the stadium went down as the audience screamed their approval. The tunnels on opposite sides of the stadium lit up with green and red lighting.

Alec gestured to the red tunnel emitting smoke. "Coming in at 5 foot 5, she is beauty; she is grace; she will punch akumas in the face; It's Paris's Mini Menace, _LADYBUG!"_ Everyone began chanting "Ladybug! Ladybug! Ladybug!" as she swung out of the tunnel into the middle of the field.

"How's it going, Paris?" She cried, waving to her fans.

"Quick question for you, Ladybug. Do you think all of the training you've done will help you achieve your desired goal tonight?" Alec held up his hand mic so the crowd could hear her response.

The red-clad heroine nodded. "I've definitely trained harder than I normally do, and I _do_ want to win. However, don't forget that no matter who wins tonight, we will have all done some good in helping our charities. Right, Alec?" The commentator smiled and nodded.

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Ladybug. Let's meet our other contender, shall we?" As he pointed to the green tunnel pouring smoke, the stadium began to rumble with anticipation. "Topping out at 5'11", 'if it fits he sits'. He's Paris's resident pun slinger, it's _CHAT NOIR_!"

"That doesn't even make sense, Alec!" Chat shouted as he launched himself from the tunnel to the middle the field. " _If it fits, he sits_?"

Alec shrugged his shoulders in surrender. "Hey man, I just read the card. It's not my fault there's not a lot of fighting cat phrases." Chat groaned as his imagined coolness level dropped.

"Boys, can we please get this started?" Ladybug had her hand on her hip, impatient to begin.

Chat smirked. "In a hurry to lose, Mi'Lady?"

"Nah. I'm in a hurry to win!"

"Alright you two, let's get this party started!" Alec brought their hands together to shake for good sportsmanship. He then hurried up to his open-air announcer's stand where he would be safe from the battle.

"Are you ready to do this, LB?" Chat Noir asked softly, a moment for the two of them.

"Definitely, Kitty."

"Fighters ready…." Ladybug and Chat assumed their fighting stances, Ladybug's yo-yo swinging and Chat's baton angled behind his back.

"BEGIN!" With the sound of the buzzer, the match had begun.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Chat Noir made the first move. He jumped, aiming to bring his baton down on Ladybug. She easily stepped aside to dodge it. Chat recovered quickly, swinging at Ladybug's face. Once again, she evaded the swipe by leaning back. The boy stumbled when his attack did not make contact. Taking advantage of Chat being off balance, the heroine back-flipped over him. Landing on the other side, she launched her yo-yo, trying to tie him up early.

Anticipating an attack like that, Chat brought his baton up to block the incoming projectile. _CLANG!_ The yo-yo made contact with the baton, wrapping firmly around it. No amount of tugging her weapon backward would do Ladybug any good; Chat had too good of a grip on the baton.

"This is a lot harder than it looks, Mi'Lady," Chat gritted his teeth as he resisted Ladybug's pull. "And I don't think you appreciate that." With a final yank and a cry from across the field, Chat Noir held Ladybug's yo-yo in his hand.

The crowd fell silent, waiting on the edge of their seats for the next move. Ladybug stood almost paralyzed, huffing from the strain of the tug of war. Everyone gasped when Chat threw the yo-yo behind him, as far away from its owner as possible. He turned back to her with a smirk.

"Ready for your close up, Bugaboo?" He stepped back in surprise as a tiny missile of a girl launched herself at him, attacking him with everything she possessed. It was almost difficult to block her attacks with the baton. Eventually, Ladybug kicked the weapon out of his hands. Chat didn't even have time to pick it up; he needed to raise his arms immediately to avoid being kicked half-way across the stadium.

"What have you been doing to train? I've never seen you fight like this!" Chat grabbed her fist and pulled in close. "It's kinda hot." He whispered.

Ladybug scoffed as she wrenched her hand out of his grasp, back-flipping away for a brief moment of respite. "Kick-boxing actually. You might want to try it sometime." Chat barked out a laugh as he lunged at her again.

The heroes battled throughout the stadium, blocking out the screaming fans and Alec's enthusiastic commentating; almost as if the two of them were just dancing. After a particularly swift attack from Ladybug, Chat Noir had to take a knee.

"Are you alright, chaton?" She definitely wanted to win, but not at the expense of her best friend.

"I'm alright." The young man struggled to stand. An attempt to make a snarky remark turned into a cough. It was obvious the fight had begun to take its toll. In fact, both heroes were breathing heavily. They glanced at the clock to see how much time they had left.

"Fifteen minutes remaining, folks! I can't believe they've been able to keep up with each other for this long! Who will come out on top? Or will it be a tie? THE SUSPENCE IS KILLING ME!" Alec's voice boomed out over the loudspeakers.

"Has he been talking the entire time?" Chat thumbed towards the announcer's stand, still bent over breathing hard.

"Stand up. You'll recover your breathing faster." Ladybug panted. "I guess I haven't noticed. You still good to keep going?"

Chat straightened for a moment, then dropped to crouch on all fours. "I'm game if you are. I don't like the idea of a tie."

Ladybug dropped into an equally fierce fighting stance as Chat pounced, claws extended. As he reached to grab her arm, Ladybug performed the same maneuver she had executed on the guy in the alley while on their first date. Before he knew it, Chat Noir lay pinned on the ground, out of breath. Unable to wriggle out of her grasp, he tapped out.

"IT'S OVER! IT'S REALLY OVER! Our winner of the first _Contest of Heroes_ is… LADYBUG!" The crowd went nuts, screaming, stomping, jumping out of their seats.

Once Alec had declared her the winner, Ladybug released the poor boy. She stood up, offering him a hand.

"If it's all the same to you, Bugaboo, I'm gonna lay here for a bit."

Ladybug snickered. "Come on, silly Kitty. Let's go do some interviews. Afterwards, we can clean up and have movie night at my place. Sound good?"

He sighed, grabbing her hand. "Alright. I'll bring the popcorn."

 **WHOO HOO! Did that fight end the way you wanted it to? If not, I want to put you at ease for how I came to this conclusion.**

 **I don't know how many of you are on the Ladybug Amino app, but I ran a poll asking who the fans believed would win in an unakumitized fight. I also pulled from the results of similar polls. I had no input on this result whatsoever.**

 **Next chapter will be the last one, so enjoy what time we have left together. See you next week!**


	7. All I Want for Christmas Is You

**Hello readers! A couple quick things in Housekeeping:**

 **1\. I am SOOOOOOO sorry about the delay (7 month delay...) in uploading the conclusion to our story! Between graduating college, working full time at my job, and a general sense of not being inspired, there just** **hasn't been a lot of time spent writing for fun.**

 **2\. This may be my last story for a while. I have the general premise for a new story, but like I mentioned earlier, I have not had a fair amount of free time dedicated to writing. Especially with a potential job change on the horizon. I do urge you to subscribe to my Author feed as you never know when planets will align or inspiration will strike.**

 **I believe that is all for housekeeping! Without further ado, I present the final chapter of _My Christmas Wish:_**

 ** _All I Want for Christmas Is You_**

The next few days passed in a blur. The heroes appeared on several news outlets to recount their fight and answer questions. Before anyone knew it, Christmas Eve had arrived.

It had taken much skill and even more begging, but Adrien had managed to convince his father to let him spend Christmas Eve with Marinette's family. Marinette and her parents hurried about the house before he was set to arrive. They were determined to give Adrien the best Dupain-Cheng Christmas they possibly could.

"Maman, does the tree look evenly decorated? Are there enough variety in the cookies we made? Is there too much garland? WHY did Papa put mistletoe in EVERY SINGLE DOORWAY?" Marinette ran about frantically. Sabine had to physically restrain her with an embrace.

"Everything looks great, honey. Adrien will have a marvelous Christmas." Marinette took a steading breath.

"You're right. And you're sure that it's fine that Adrien sleeps down here on the couch tonight?"

Sabine smiled. "Yes, it's fine. We start our celebration so late, I don't want him to feel like he has to rush home. His father's assistant – Nathalie, I think it was – said that everything would be fine as long Adrien is home by noon tomorrow." She now saw how fidgety her daughter was, as she did when she was about to ask a question she was nervous about. "What is it Marinette?"

A blush crept over the girl's face. "Would it be alright if I made a pallet next to the couch and slept down here tonight? You know how much I love to sleep next to the Christmas lights… and that way Adrien's not alone." Marinette glanced sheepishly up at her mother. A chuckle escaped Sabine's lips.

"I suppose that will be fine. Just no funny business, alright?" Marinette's blush intensified.

"MAMAN! Nothing like that is going to happen, okay? We've only been dating for, what? Less than two weeks?"

Sabine laughed, moving to the kitchen to begin preparing the Christmas Eve feast. Marinette let out an exasperated huff of air. Mothers can be _so_ embarrassing!

Adrien arrived with an overnight bag just as the sun began disappearing behind the Paris skyline. As he walked into the apartment above the bakery, the smell of Christmas greeted him. The fragrance of the live tree mingled with the scent of various spices, pastries, and meats. Each smell was unique yet did not clash; they blended into a beautiful harmony. Adrien couldn't remember the last time he was in a home that smelled this good.

"Adrien! You're here!" Marinette ran down the stairs that led up to her room. If the smell of dinner filled up the room, her smile lit up the whole city.

"Hey! Yeah. I just let myself in. I figured you guys would be busy setting up for your Reveillon feast. Was that okay?" He rubbed his neck nervously. Adrien visibly relaxed as Marinette took his hand, squeezing it to comfort him.

"That's fine. We all want you to come around whenever you want. Papa said to never hesitate to let yourself in." She led him to where he could dump his bag during dinner. "If you want, you can stick your bag and Plagg up in my room. Tikki's already up there snacking on some special Christmas cookies I made them."

Plagg popped his head out of his cozy spot in Adrien's shirt pocket at the mention of Tikki and cookies. "Hey Baker Girl! Got any cheese up there?"

Adrien shoved him back into the pocket. "Be grateful you pig!"

Marinette just laughed. "Yes Plagg. I actually made a special cheese bread just for you. Merry Christmas!" The kwami made an uncharacteristic squeak as he flew up the stairs to his love… and Tikki.

"I guess I'll just leave my bag down here then." Adrien stashed his bag behind one of the couches.

"Perfect timing because dinner just finished." Tom walked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on his apron. Adrien straightened.

"Hello sir. I know we've met before, but I would like to formally introduce myself as your daughter's boyfriend." He held out his hand for a hand shake. Tom's face turned stoic as he accepted the handshake, which quickly turned into a hug.

"You are such a gentleman, Adrien! Like I'm sure Marinette told you, you are welcome here anytime. I already know how happy you make her, and I can't wait to get to know you better, son." Tom gave him one last shoulder squeeze as he released the boy.

Adrien stifled his gasps for air. He didn't realize how strong Marinette's father was. "Well, then I hope our paths _croissant_ again, sir!" He smiled sheepishly after that lame attempt at a bakery pun. Tom looked to his daughter while silently pointing to Adrien.

"I like this boy. Keep him."

"Sabine, this Christmas feast was INCREDIBLE!" Adrien patted his very full stomach. "I don't think I'll have to eat again for at least a week."

The woman laughed as she began to clear the table. "Thank you, Adrien. Did you have a favorite dish?" Adrien pondered the question.

"I'm going to have to go with the baked ham. The spiced apples and the pears added an exquisite layer of flavor. I was wondering though," The boy gestured to the untouched bowl of apples in the middle of the table. "Are the apples just for decoration or are they something special?" As everyone else aided in the dinner clean up, Marinette explained.

"In the Chinese culture, 'apple' sounds like 'peace'. Apples are exchanged and eaten on Christmas Eve because it means 'peaceful' or 'quiet evening'. It's something that Maman did growing up, so we've integrated it into our traditions." Marinette placed her dishes into the dishwasher. "Do you and your father have and Christmas traditions, Adrien?"

He shrugged. "Not really; not since my mom disappeared. Now Nathalie, my bodyguard, and I decorate the trees in the lobby. My father and I just have a Christmas day lunch. That's about it."

Nobody knew what to say after that. Sabine held a gorgeously decorated dessert aloft in attempt to recapture some of the cheer that had left the room.

"I hope everyone saved room for the Bûche de Noel!"  
"The Christmas Log!" Tom exclaimed excitedly. "I've been looking forward to this all night!"

After desert, the group dispersed to change into comfortable clothes before the exchanging of gifts at midnight. Marinette checked on Tikki and Plagg before slipping into her warmest sweatpants and a sweater Nona had sent her while on her latest adventures. Hearing a knock on the trapdoor, the kwamis scurried under nearest pillow.

"Marinette? Are you decent?" It was Adrien.

"Yes. Come on up." The hinges squeaked in protest as the boy opened the door. He had a very similar idea to Marinette of what "comfortable" was. He sported a black pair of sweatpants bearing the Ladybug insignia and a loose long-sleeve green shirt that had a kitten wearing a Santa hat, meowing "Have a _Puurrfect_ Christmas".

"Nice pants." Marinette giggled.

Adrien's smile quirked into a Chat Noir smirk as he threw himself into several outlandish model poses, highlighting the pants. "You like what you see?" Marinette laughed again, lightly punching him in the shoulder. Adrien wished he could hear her laughter all the time.

"Let's look at the lights on the balcony," Marinette was already tugging him towards the roof access. "Christmas Eve lights from this view are spectacular."

The air was chilly as the door opened, whipping loose strands about their faces. Adrien could not deny the beauty of the lights below him. Festive reds and greens mingled with the ordinary whites and yellows of store fronts. All of them reflected in the wide gaze of the girl he had fallen for.

"Isn't it beautiful?" She whispered.

"Yeah, but not as beautiful as you." Marinette turned to him with a classic Ladybug stare.

"That was corny."

"No. Corn is corny. That was sentiment." He dug his phone out of his pocket and scrolled until he found the song he was looking for. The slow melody of _All I Want for Christmas Is You_ began to play softly on the breeze. He bowed slightly, his hand outstretched. "Will you dance with me, My Lady?"

The girl curtsied. "Of course, Kitty."

The teens swayed slowly to the music; no longer awkward like the first time they danced at Chloe's party. This was comfortable, this was two people who trusted each other explicitly.

As the song reached its end, Adrien pulled a small package from his other pocket. "Speaking of what you want for Christmas, I wanted to give you your present now. I couldn't wait another couple of hours." It was a small jewelry box with an envelope tied to it. "Open the box first." He encouraged. Marinette moved to sit in the chair situated along the back wall of her balcony to open her gift.

"Oh, Adrien! It's beautiful!" She held up an intricately etched charm bracelet. Several charms were already attached to it, including a miniature Eiffel Tower, loaf of bread, gaming controller, and a little ladybug next to a little cat. Marinette glanced up, tears in her eyes. "This must have cost a fortune. It's too much!" The boy waved his hand dismissively.

"Nah. Father gives me more of an allowance than I actually need, and I enjoy hunting down sales and bargains. May I help you put it on?" Nodding emphatically, Marinette held out her right arm. Adrien clipped the bracelet together, then lightly pressed his lips to the back of her hand. Marinette stifled a gasp.

"Hey, why don't you open the envelope now?" Marinette had almost forgotten it. Careful not to tear the contents, she eased her finger under the flap. Her hands shaking, Marinette withdrew the silky paper of two tickets to…

"The next Fashion Week?" She squealed. She threw her arms around her boyfriend, trying not to sob. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" The poor girl blubbered.

"I know you've always wanted to go. Tickets for the public won't go on sale for months, but Father always gets several dozen tickets ahead of time to dole out to people who deserve it. He gave me a few to give to friends." He pulled Marinette back, so he could wipe the tears from her face. "Those two are for you and Alya. Nino will join you guys since I'll most likely be modeling for my father. But you can be my date on the red carpet entering the event, if you'd like."

Adrien winced as Marinette punched him in the arm gleefully, with more force than she had earlier. "Of COURSE, I'd like to be your date! This is the best gift EVER!" The grin rapidly vanished from her face. "But the gift I made you can't possibly compare to what you've given me…" She ran down to her room.

Marinette returned quickly with her hands behind her back. "Consider this part one until I can figure something else out. Sorry it's not wrapped yet." Adrien stared at the creation in her hand.

It was a pale blue beanie hat with intricate ribbing detail on the upturned brim. There was something familiar about it…

"Wait, this looks like the scarf Father gave me for my birthday a few years back." He took the hat in his hands, running them over the silky strands of the _yIarn_ she had used. Adrien noticed Marinette wouldn't meet his eyes.

"I didn't want to tell you…"

"Marinette. Just tell me." She took a deep breath.

"The year you started school with us, I had maybe… a tiny… itty bitty… majorcrushonyou." The words just spill out of Marinette. "I was so happy it was your birthday and I wanted to make you a special gift. I left the box with the scarf I made on the inside table after you walk in your big doors and somehow, someway, you thought your father had given you the scarf." Her eyes turned misty now; she spoke softly. "You looked so happy. I couldn't take that away from you."

Marinette took a calming breath. "The plan was always to make you a matching hat, but there was always the possibility of you asking about the sc-" Her voice was suddenly silenced by a soft kiss from Adrien. As he pulled away, she could see the tears in _his_ eyes.

"This is why I love you, Marinette. You look out for everyone's best interests above your own. Let me do that for you now." She smiled and nodded, resting her head on his chest.

The heroes, now with arms around each other's waists, looked out at the glittering snow-covered canvas below them.

"Merry Christmas, Marinette."

"Merry Christmas, Adrien."

 _FIN_

 **I hope you enjoyed the conclusion to our tale! As the Hallowthanksmas season is upon us, do not hesitate to reread the Holidaze series from the beginning as it is back in season. Until next time, readers!**

 ** _"One little spark, of inspiration/ Is at the heart, of all creation/ Right at the start, of everything that's new/ One little spark, lights up for you" -_ Journey into Imagination, EPCOT**

 _ **"Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with**_ **God."" -Mark 10:27**


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